The Long Night
by Angel-Sue76
Summary: John spends the night being constantly interrupted. A birthday story for Sam1.


_**The Long Night.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: Nope I own nothing associated with the Thunderbirds.**_

 _ **John suffers a night of constant wake-ups. A Birthday story for Sam1. Thank you for always being an amazing friend. Happy Birthday. Love you. Big thanks to Loopsta girl for reading over this and making it presentable. You're a star. Enjoy all.**_

 _A ringing phone awoke John from his sleep and he rolled to check the time before reaching for the handset. Groaning slightly as he saw it was just gone midnight, he picked up the phone up, "Hello?"_

" _Hey John, I didn't wake you did I?" asked the voice of his younger brother._

" _Nope," lied John. In all honesty, he'd had a long day and was exhausted. But he knew Virgil wouldn't call him this late unless it was important. "What's up?"_

" _I have that big test tomorrow but I have no idea what I'm doing! I thought I was prepared and suddenly I've gone blank," replied Virgil, his voice filled with doubt._

" _Okay, first things first, take a couple of big breaths," John began. Listening, he could hear his brother do as he asked. "Next I want you to listen to me. I know you can do it, bro. Like music, you have a natural flair for technology, look at how many things you took apart and rebuilt or repaired when we were younger."_

" _I know but this is something else, John. There's so much theory and maths involved. Are you really sure I can do this?"_

" _Yes I am, Virge. I know you can. This is what you're meant to do and you will ace that test tomorrow," John replied, meaning every word. His brother's talent when it came to machinery were second to none._

" _Okay. Maybe I'll study a bit longer…" replied Virgil, sounding slightly surer of himself._

 _John shook his head. "No. Virge, you go to bed and get a good night's sleep okay?" he said, his voice adopting a firm tone._

" _Yes sir," mocked Virgil._

" _Goodnight cheeky," replied John with a grin._

" _Good night and thanks bro."_

 _John hung up the phone and laid his head back down. Hopefully now he could sleep the rest of the night away._

* * *

 _Just over an hour later the phone rang and John was once more stirred from his sleep. Groaning he sat up and answered the phone. "Hello," he said, yawning as he spoke._

" _Hey bro, how's things?" said the unmistakeable voice of his older brother._

" _Asleep," muttered John, grumpily._

" _What you doing asleep at this time of the day?" asked Scott, sounding surprised._

" _Cos its 1am here," he replied. Scott was in England at Oxford University and had clearly forgotten the large time difference between them._

 _There was a long sigh and John could tell there was more to this than just a courtesy call. He guessed Scott was lonely or maybe homesick._

" _Sorry John, I keep forgetting we're in different time zones, I'll let you get some sleep."_

" _Nah, Its okay, am awake now. How's things over there?" John listened as Scott told him all about Oxford. It was clear his brother was enjoying his time there which was good but obviously needed a reminder his family were still there. "Sounds great and hey you can always call or text or even email. I'll always be here, no matter the time."_

" _Thanks bro but I'll try to time it better and you, little brother of mine, need to get some sleep," said Scott, reverting back to older brother mode._

" _That's the plan. Now, have a great day, Scott. Speak to you later," he replied._

" _Night bro."_

 _John looked over to see it was nearly 2am and he was beyond tired now and hot too. He pulled off his t-shirt and laid back down on the bed. Barely a minute later was he fast asleep._

* * *

 _A loud banging once more interrupted John from his sleep and this time he swore loudly. What the hell was going on tonight? Climbing out of bed, he stumbled blearily out of his room and down the hall to the door. Luckily, he had his own apartment close to Harvard so nobody else would be disturbed. He also hadn't bothered putting more clothes on so he was just in shorts. As he reached for the door handle John had a sense he knew who would be on the other side of the door._

" _What did you do?" he asked as he opened it and was proved right about his late night caller._

" _What makes you think I did anything?" asked his younger brother._

" _Because it's like three in the morning and you only come here when you've done something. So fess up, Gordon," he replied._

 _Gordon had to admit his brother was right and a guilty look crossed his face. "I may have crashed Dad's car," he admitted finally._

" _Oh are you in trouble," said John stepping back to allow Gordon to come in._

" _It was an accident I swear," explained Gordon as he entered the small apartment. It was neatly organized as Gordon expected because this was John. He did now feel a bit guilty that he only made contact when he'd done something wrong. He made a promise to himself to keep in touch with his older brother more often._

" _Yeah aren't they all," muttered John and then he yawned. "You do realize Dad will find you?"_

 _Gordon nodded but a grin appeared on his face. "Well he hasn't seen his car yet so that gives me a bit of a head start and I'll be gone before he gets here."_

" _Oh great, so you clear off and I get to deal with him," moaned John. As much as he loved his younger brother, sometimes he wished he didn't always have to be the one who always handled everything._

 _Gordon put his arm round his brother, "He ain't mad at you though so you'll be fine."_

 _John just shrugged him off, knowing it was futile to argue with Gordon. "Fine you can stay here on the couch until morning but I am not covering for you though," he replied and walked to a small closet in the hall. Fishing out a blanket and a pillow he threw them to his brother, turning for his own room._

" _Thanks bro, I owe ya one," said Gordon gratefully. He would sleep for a couple of hours and then head up to see an old girlfriend for a few days allowing his dad to calm down._

" _You owe me more than one," muttered John, as he headed back to his own room and bed once again._

* * *

 _A ringing phone brought John out of his sleep for the fourth time tonight. Glancing at the clock, he could see it was 4.45am. "You have gotta be kidding me," he said as he reached for the handset, knowing full well Gordon wouldn't answer it in case it was their father. It wasn't though._

" _Hey Johnny, today is the big day. My first race and I just can't wait. Oh you should see the car, it's amazing. I'm dying to get into it and start racing," came the rapid words from his youngest brother._

" _I know, Al, and I can't wait to see you race either but it's still pretty early yet. Wouldn't a couple more hours sleep be better?" he asked, practically begging. Alan might not need it but he certainly did._

" _But I can't sleep John, I'm too excited," replied Alan._

" _I know but hey why don't you go for a run. It will keep you busy and burn off some of that energy. You don't want to be too hyper to race do you?" he questioned._

 _Alan went quiet for a moment obviously thinking about his brother's words. "You're right John and thanks. Hey you will be watching later right?"_

" _Of course I will, then call me later on today okay?" He couldn't help but smile. He was truly proud of his youngest brother._

" _Will do, bye John," Alan said, hanging up._

" _Right spoken to you all now, please let me sleep," he said to no one and laid back down on his bed._

* * *

 _What felt like five minutes later but was in actual fact an hour, the phone began to ring again and John was tempted to just ignore it but he didn't. "Hello," he said unable to keep the exhaustion out of his voice._

" _Where is he?" came the angry voice of his father._

 _John said nothing but got out of bed and walked into the lounge. He shook Gordon awake and then held the phone out to him._

 _Gordon shook his head but John didn't move; he was too tired to fight his brother's battle tonight. Gordon would just have to face the music._

 _Finally Gordon took the phone and it was evident Jeff was shouting at him. "What's that dad, I can't hear you. You're breaking up," he replied and then hung up the phone._

" _He'll come down here, you know," said John as he made to go back to his room, leaving the phone in the lounge in case his Dad called back._

" _Yeah, but I'll be long gone and I won't tell you where so you'll be in the clear," he replied seeing just how exhausted his brother really looked._

" _Whatever," was all John could say._

* * *

 _*Knock, Knock*_

 _His slumber was once again disturbed by the door. How could this be happening to him? He'd spoken to all his family now… well, unless this was Grandma coming to see him. This time he managed to grab some trousers and pull them on just in case it was his grandma but he didn't bother with a top._

 _He stumbled to the door and noticed that his brother was gone. It was probably him back because he'd forgotten something._

" _You seriously have a death wish," he muttered as he opened the door only to be greeted by someone who wasn't his brother._

" _I don't know about death wish but I'm probably crazy," came the reply of the young woman standing at his door. It was his neighbour Ella, whom he had to admit he had a bit of a crush on._

" _I'm sorry Ella, I thought it was someone else there," he replied, running his fingers through his hair to try and tidy it up. Great. The girl of his dreams was at his door and he looked awful._

" _Your brother perhaps?" she questioned with a smile._

 _John looked at her in surprise. "How did you know that?"_

 _Ella grinned at him. "I met him escaping this morning," she said and then she bit her lip, looking nervous. "He told me he emptied your fridge before he left so I, umm… wondered if you wanted to go out and get some breakfast."_

 _John just rolled his eyes not surprised at all that Gordon had done that. He could sense Gordon had been scheming in telling Ella that he was out of food. He was also stunned that Ella had actually asked him out. His thoughts then turned to his dad who would be turning up here shortly and he knew he should stay. Nah, Gordon could fight his own battle today._

" _I'd love to Ella, Just give me five to change okay?"_

" _Sure," she said, smiling at him._

 _Heading quickly inside he found a note taped to his fridge._

 _ **Sorry for waking you bro and stealing your food but this way you get breakfast with a beautiful girl and escape Dad. Now I owe you one less.**_

 _ **Gords.**_

John just shook his head, grinning at his brother's deviousness but for once it was gonna pay off for John and he didn't even care he'd not slept last night.


End file.
